Saab attempts to ‘wake up’ sleepy motorists

Drivers prone to falling asleep at the wheel are the target of a new piece of technology designed by Saab

Drivers prone to falling asleep at the wheel are the target of a new piece of technology designed by automaker Saab.

The company has developed the Driver Attention Warning System in order to reduce what it feels are the two biggest causes of road problems: drowsiness and inattention.

Motorists’ eye-lid movement are measured by the machinery, which then emits an audio message of "You are tired" through the vehicle’s speaker system.

If the driver’s condition gets worse, "You are dangerously tired - stop as soon as it is safe to do so" will play and cannot be stopped without removing the system’s fascia.

"It is a fact that many drivers do not stop and get out of the car if they are feeling drowsy. So we are now trying to help drivers to help themselves," said Arne Nabo, the man in charge of the Human Vehicle Integration team.

Earlier this year, a German lorry driver was jailed for killing four people after falling asleep at the wheel.